Genesis 25:18  “Ishmael’s descendants settled over against all his kinsmen.”

We recently studied the 9 failed attempts over 75 years to establish a peaceful “Two-State Solution,” where Jews and Palestinians would live peaceably next to each other. This week, we answer why.

Ishmael is considered a prophet in Islam. You will find him, with other prophets in many Quranic verses (Quran 2:136, 3:84, 4:163 and 6:84–86). Quran 19:54-55 describes Ishmael this way: “And call to mind, through this divine writ, Ishmael. Behold, he was always true to his promise, and was an apostle of God, a prophet, who used to enjoin upon his people prayer and charity and found favor in his Sustainer’s sight.”

Islam considers Muhammad the “Prophet” who descended from Adam to Seth to Noah to Abraham and then to Ishmael and not Isaac, Abraham’s other son. This means the Quran and the Bible are in direct conflict over who is God’s “Prophet”, since the Bible and Jesus Christ Himself, who descends through Isaac and not Ishmael, claims to be God’s Prophet (connect Deuteronomy 18:18-19 to John 12:49-50).

As Islam became established, the figure Ishmael and those descended from him, the Ishmaelites, became connected, and often equated, with the term Arab in early Jewish and Christian literature.

Islam views Ishmael, and thus the Muslims, as the favored descendants of Abraham, while the Bible depicts Abraham’s other son – Isaac – as God’s chosen line.

The Bible, in Genesis 16:1-11, records Ishmael as the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, Sarai’s (Abraham’s wife) Egyptian maidservant. The Islamic version of this story (an example from the Islamic historian and exegete Ibn Kathir in 1370 AD) says that an angel tells Hagar to name her child Ishmael and prophesies, “His hand would be over everyone, and the hand of everyone would be against him. His brethren would rule over all the lands.” Ibn Kathir’s interpretation? This is a prophecy of Muhammad who is to come through the lineage of Ishmael. 

Jason Jackson, in his Christian Courier article ‘Ishmael or Isaac? The Koran or the Bible? Did Abraham offer Ishmael or Isaac? The Bible and the Koran differ on this issue. Which book is really divine revelation? Does it matter?’, explains why it matters how people view the historical figures of Isaac versus Ishmael.

“The Islamic holiday, Qurbani Id (or Id Al-Adha), is known as the ‘Sacrifice Festival.’ Muslims celebrate this ‘great feast of sacrifice’ on the 10^th day of the last month of the Muslim year. According to their doctrinal scheme, this day celebrates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son by Hagar, Ishmael.

If you remember the Old Testament account, you will be somewhat perplexed. Was not Isaac the one whom God instructed Abraham to offer? The difference is this. Christians accept the testimony of the Bible.

Muslims reject the Bible and believe the Qur’an contains the inspired, uncorrupted record. Who is right?

Although the Qur’an does not name the child whom Abraham was to sacrifice, Muslims believe it was Ishmael, and they believe that idea is supported by the Qur’an.

One Muslim scholar, after citing a number texts from the Qur’an, concludes: ‘It is quite clear that Ishmael was the son to be sacrificed and not Isaac, peace be upon both of them. We also saw how corrupt the Bible is. The Bible is not reliable. It was badly tampered with by man’s alterations and narrations, that we no longer can tell which parts of it are the True Living Words of GOD Almighty, and which aren’t.’

The issue is not so “who” is right, as if it were a personal dispute between two “classes” of people. The matter is not one of personalities, culture, or race. The issue is this: Which record contains the true, historical account? Will we believe the Bible, which names Isaac, or the claims of Muslim scholars who infer the name of the son from the Qur’an?

Some would contend that this is the kind of disagreement that never will be settled. Christians will accept the Bible. Muslims will side with the Koran. The discussion comes down to a ‘your-word-against-mine’ type of argument – at least in the eyes of some. But the issue is more fundamental than that. The question is really this: Which book is the revelation of God?

Both volumes claim inspiration, but obviously both cannot be inspired. The difference of “Isaac versus Ishmael” is just one of hundreds of discrepancies between the Bible and the Qur’an.

Many of these differences concern crucial themes (the nature of God, the identity of Christ, and God’s plan of salvation). Before one commits to a system of religion, it is necessary to inquire into the source of that religion. If the Bible is from God, Christianity is true. If the Qur’an is from God, Islam is true.

Concerning the Bible, we observe that it is made up of a sort of ‘DNA code’ – a set of traits that identifies it as being from God. There are a many identifying characteristics that reveal the Bible’s divine origin.

The Scriptures, although recorded by 40 human writers over some 1500 years, contain an amazing unity of purpose and doctrine. This includes many prophecies (detailed predictions) that are later fulfilled perfectly. Although challenged by the most renowned skeptics, the Bible is found to be without error. It has been vindicated countless times. Men are ever trying to “catch up” with the Scriptures.

But the Qur’an, despite its claims, lacks the marks of divine revelation. Its sub-standard treatment of women is no secret to anyone familiar with Islam. The book contains numerous historical inaccuracies and anachronisms, i.e., the chronological misplacement of persons, events, etc. Here is one example:

In relating the events of the exodus and the wilderness wandering, the Qur’an says, ‘They disbelieved the signs of God, and slew the Prophets unjustly’ (cf. Sura 25:57-61). Who were ‘the Prophets’ in the wilderness? That expression, ‘the Prophets,’ usually designates a special ministry of servants who lived at a later time in Israel’s history. J. M. Rodwell notes: ‘This passage [Sura 25:59] is one of the numerous anachronisms which abound in the Qur’an and prove the gross ignorance of the Arabian prophet.’ (Rodwell, J.M., trans. The Koran, Everyman’s Library. New York: Dutton, 1909, p. 344).

Before us are two books. One is flawless and divine. It is the Bible. The other, the Koran, is error-ridden, the product of a self-styled prophet, who was no prophet at all. One encourages us to love our enemies; the other promotes conversion by force and Jihad – holy war.

The Bible records that Abraham was willing to offer Isaac. The Qur’an, Muslim scholars claim, implies that Abraham was willing to offer Ishmael. The issue is: Which volume is God’s?”

This is the crux of the Israeli-Palestine Conflict. It is a worldview battle. It is an Islamic/Qu’ranic worldview versus a Christian/biblical worldview. No amount of political engagement will resolve Middle East history.

“The Evidence of Faith’s Substance”_Article #636